Craig McLachlan sues over sexual harassment allegations

ACTOR Craig McLachlan is attempting to discredit the Rocky Horror co-star who accused him of indecent assault, claiming in defamation proceedings launched yesterday she had committed "indecent acts" on him.

McLachlan's statement of claim alleges during the 2014 stage production of the Rocky Horror Show Ms Whelan Browne, who played Janet, gave him "wedgies" and grabbed at his boxer shorts, commenting "you've probably got more than (her ex-boyfriend) Rob Mills".

A scene from the Rocky Horror Show featuring McLachlan and Whelan Browne. In her Instagram post, she commented: “Someone from The Age caught this pic out of context. It really looks like I’m goig for the grab.” Picture: Instagram @christiewhelanbrowne

It also alleges that Whelan Browne "goosed the Plaintiff (that is, poked him between the buttocks with her finger) on numerous occasions'."

Whelan Browne told the ABC and Fairfax Media on January 8 that while performing on stage McLachlan pulled her underwear to expose her bottom and kissed it and in another scene, under the cover of a bedsheet, traced the outline of her vagina.

McLachlan was Frank n Furter in the production.

Two other cast members also made allegations of harassment, bullying and inappropriate behaviour, including that he rubbed his penis against female cast members and groped their breasts, but they are not named as defendants in the court action.

McLachlan in the claim denies the allegations against him and is seeking unspecified aggravated and special damages.

"The plaintiff has been greatly injured in his business, personal and professional reputation and has been and will be brought into public disrepute, odium, ridicule and contempt," the claim states.

Whelan Browne captioned this photo “for the birthday boy. Tomorrow this man celebrates the big 4.0. I never will forget the day I gave birth to him. He was such a happy boy from the moment he came out.” Picture: Instagram @christiewhelanbrowne

Whelan Browne had claimed on the ABC and in Fairfax publications that McLachlan would during the show's tour "always tell me he could see my vagina through my white underpants that were my costume. And he said that he could see the slit of my vagina".

But McLachlan in his defamation claim alleges Whelan Browne said: "D'ya reckon the audience'll see my vag" and "Maybe just the slit".

The claim further alleges that during filming of a mock talk show scene for an episode of television show The Wrong Girl - involving both McLachlan and Whelan Browne - she dropped the term "gobbler and blumkin" to describe their characters, which it says is a phrase "meaning a deviant sexual act".

McLachlan in The Doctor Blake Mysteries, production of which was halted while an enquiry went on. It cleared the actor of any misconduct. Picture: Supplied/Seven.